Taste The Rainbow
by Sandwich Shop Mayo
Summary: He could recognize that sound anywhere.


_I know, I know, I need to update Lullaby, but that fic is driving me crazy. So I give you something new for the time being. Also, I think Andrea is the only woman who still looks gorgeous while dying of a terrible fever lol.  
_

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Rick would recognize that sound anywhere.

Part of being a father, part of having had a sweet tooth since he could remember. Not that it was a particularly common sound. It was very rare, in fact. But he could recognize it anywhere, could recognize the sound of all those tiny little circles hitting each other as they made their way out of their little red bag. And he was _sure_ it was a little red bag. He could recognize that sound anywhere.

They say smell is the sense most deeply tied to memories, but he knew now sound was just as prominent.

Sure enough, when he turned around, Andrea was in the process of spilling a fun sized pack of Skittles into her palm. She was eying the little orbs like they were made out of gold, and Rick's mouth immediately watered at the sight.

When her fingers balled over the little mound possessively, he holstered his hands on his hips as if on autopilot. "Whatcha got there?"

Andrea looked up quickly and fisted her hand. Her dimples made an appearance, which could only mean she was trying to conceal something. Rick knew her telltale signs now.

"Nothing."

"Come on, I saw what you had," Rick said as he walked closer. She took one step back. "You got some candy?"

The dimples got impossibly deeper and she ducked her head. Her tone was teasing, strong. "Maybe."

"_Andrea_," he said impulsively, as if she just another member of the group, just another Beth or T-Dog, just one of them who melted under the intensity of his tone. But she wasn't. She wasn't weak to his disposition. In fact, she fought it relentlessly. He'd managed to get under everyone's skin, but Andrea was still a tough nut to crack.

He tried a different approach. A nicer one. "Are you gonna share?"

She looked at him and her eyebrows furrowed. Her smile was wide and judging by the red of her cheekbones, it was beginning to sting her from lack of use. "No."

"No?" Rick said without bothering to hide the surprise in his tone.

"_No_," she said resolutely and stood taller. "I found them. Finders, keepers."

"Losers, weepers?" he said and his grin widened.

"Yes," she said. "So go weep over there. They're mine."

Rick took another step forward and she found herself against a wall. Her fingers tightened around the candy. "Now that's not fair."

Andrea rolled her eyes. "How is it not fair?"

"It was my idea to raid this store."

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "So?"

"So, that entitles me to a percentage," he explained calmly.

"Bullshit."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Bullshit?"

"You're arguing with a lawyer," she sighed.

"Yeah."

She gave him a hardened look. "I know my rights."

Rick chuckled and looked down, once again realizing he might never match Andrea. "Cut the crap, Andrea. Would it really hurt you to share?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"These are my favorite, Rick," she exclaimed, bringing her fist over her heart and covering it with her other hand. "And I haven't had them in so long. I just need-"

"The _whole_ pack?" he exclaimed.

"Don't be so dramatic," she spat at him. "There's like six."

Rick nodded. "Three for me, three for you."

"No."

"No?"

"No."

And with that, she pushed her palm onto her mouth and all six of the little orbs tumbled into her tongue. She bit down on them greedily, their juice exploding into every corner of her mouth, making her salivate impossibly more. The sensation caused her to close her eyes and moan in ecstasy. It'd been so long since she tasted anything like synthetic candy. It was indescribable. Near damn intoxicating.

Rick bit his lower lip down as he watched her, first feeling anger and frustration at her action, but the anger melted into something more, something new and impulsive.

And then, before he knew it, his lips were on hers, his arms tight around her small waist. She gasped in surprise, and he took the opportunity to suck her lower lip into his mouth, parting her sweet lines. His tongue tasted her, stealing the remaining candy from her mouth, biting and tasting it before he swallowed it down. Hips lips continued to move over hers long after the candy was gone, its sugary aftertaste still in every inch of her tongue, her lips, the roof of her mouth.

When the surprise was gone he sensed in her a hesitation, and suddenly he realized what he was doing, what he was _actually_ doing. They were in a random store miles away from the prison, where the group was still sheltered, a group that included his wife and son. Though he could barely stand the sight of Lori anymore and he was sure she felt the same way, he felt the vows he'd made to her smack him across the face and he twisted his head, ending the contact between him and Andrea.

Rick took one step back, inwardly cursing at himself for the moment of weakness. Apologies were on their way out, but when he looked at her he was stricken mute by the look in her eyes. She wasn't angry, didn't look like she was about to slap him. She was looking at him, and he felt like she was hearing everything he was thinking. Suddenly he couldn't look away from those intense eyes, and he felt his bones melting by the sudden lack of oxygen that seemed to have taken over the room.

He still didn't speak when she took one step forward, and when she placed a hand on his shoulder, his eyes drifted to her lips again. Their foreheads touched for a moment and they lingered between the _should we _and_ should we not?_ before the pull of each other's gravity made the decision for them. He met her halfway, kissing her much more slowly, much more intimately. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been kissed, and Andrea's lips were soft and delicate, a contrast to her sharp personality. He tangled his fingers through her hair, curling them around her neck to pull her closer. She sighed and responded by opening her mouth for him, and though the taste of the candy still lingered, it was just a dull presence and for the first time he tasted _her_.

And the taste overwhelmed him. Suddenly the moment became intense once again and he kissed her deeper, faster. His hands gripped her waist and she pushed herself up on her tip toes. She sucked his lower lip into her mouth and gently raked it with her teeth as he pulled it out. It sent a bolt of electricity through his body and judging by the way she gripped his face, she felt it, too. His chest came into contact with hers and he was suddenly possessed with an intense need to touch, kiss, have all of her.

He didn't know what had made him to do this. Wanting a taste of the candy seemed like the main reason, but he couldn't fool himself like that, knowing in the back of his mind that he'd always wondered what it would be like to taste Andrea, to press his lips to her lips and slip his tongue into her mouth. Her lips had always had some sort of magnetism. Each time he looked at her, he couldn't help staring at her lips fist. Always at her lips. Often he heard her voice before he turned to her and he always tried to talk himself into looking into her eyes first, but he'd never been able to do that. Time and time again his eyes drifted to her lips, where they lingered for a few seconds, before he could actually fully look into her eyes.

He thought of the first time, back in Atlanta in that department store. He'd been consumed by thoughts of wanting to find Lori and Carl, but for a few minutes, while they were alone waiting for the dead to come busting in, thoughts of Lori and Carl were nonexistent. He'd stood next to her as she eyed that mermaid necklace and for the first time in a long time felt a deep personal connection. He'd chucked it up to the admiration he felt for the deep love she felt for her sister, but deep down he knew it was more than that. Chance and opportunity made sure they rarely crossed paths at the camp or at the farm, but now, with her back and with them at the prison, suddenly she was everywhere and a constant reminder of everything he'd lost (or possibly never had) with Lori.

A small moan escaped her, eliciting a low growl from Rick and before he knew it he was backing her up against a wall. In the distance of the back of his mind he knew this was bad, wrong, immoral considering he was still married, but his body hadn't been touched in so long, he hadn't felt _wanted_ in so long, that he could conceivably go nowhere but forward. He had no clear destination in mind, considering they were in the middle of a run, but he couldn't part his lips from hers, not even when she tried to get a break to get her breath back. He was sick of this life, sick of HIS life, sick of the group and their demands, and for once he just wanted to get what he needed. And he needed Andrea and her sweet mouth, the curvature of her body, her spark, her spunk, her hundred ways of always letting him know when he was being a dumbass. He needed the soft prod of her tongue, the way she combed her nails up and down his back, and her soft blue eyes. He needed this. He needed more.

But that overwhelming need was suddenly halted by a loud clang.

Rick jumped back and Andrea rushed away from him to locate the source of the sound. As she did he took half a second to lower his head and run his hand up and down the back of his neck, trying to put himself back together.

"Sorry."

He recognized Glenn's voice and put on his best poker face before he turned to look at the younger man.

Glenn stood from the floor, re-arranging all the stuff he'd scouted in his arms. "That was loud. Sorry."

"It's okay," Andrea said, and Rick couldn't help noticing her voice was deeper, raw.

"Anyway," Glenn continued, looking from her to Rick. "I found the stuff. You guys ready?"

Andrea looked at Rick and he could practically see the relief in her eyes as they both realized Glenn hadn't seen a thing. It was probably a good thing it was Glenn with them and not Daryl, who no doubt would've noticed the swell of Andrea's lips, her tousled hair, and the already reddening stubble burn. He took in the evidence of his lips on hers and felt a heat burning deep inside of him, but forced it away before he turned to Glenn.

"Yeah, let's go."

Minutes later he found himself back in the car, thankful for Glenn's snoring chasing away the quiet. Still, with Andrea in the passenger seat he felt out of breath and too self-conscious, too aware of her and the the fact that the only thing separating them was the small space between their seats. She was looking out the window, at the passage of the landscape, and he couldn't stop himself from throwing little glances in her direction every time he could. Surely she must've been aware, he had never been a good actor, and even if he was this sudden magnetism between them was heavy, loud, damn near visible.

He tried to read the little bit he could see of her face, but couldn't. She didn't seem mad, or particularly happy just... relaxed. Her shoulders were slumped, her muscles soft. He was caught between wanting to talk to her about what happened between them and not really wanting to, not knowing if he could even begin to comprehend what had taken over him.

Glenn's presence, albeit sleeping, worked out in his favor and he decided to let sleeping dogs lie and concentrate on the road ahead.

His hand lay over the shift stick, and his skin jumped when he felt her fingers suddenly threading themselves through his. He felt alarmed for a second, wondering what would happen if Glenn woke up, wondering what her intention was, but when he felt a small little packet in the palm of his hand, he relaxed. He looked down fast enough to see her deposit another packet of Skittles in his hand, and when he looked at her, he found her smirking.

He tried to fight the small grin tugging at his lips but lost the battle quickly when she scrunched her nose in an unmistakable show of coyness.

"Just remember to share."

He chuckled at her words, shaking his head as his cheeks colored red, and after tugging the little packet into his shirt pocket he threw her a final glance. He found her smiling widely before she returned her attention back to the landscape, and Rick felt his muscles relax as he concentrated back on the road.

The End


End file.
